


Pillar of Dad

by Lancre_witch



Category: Legacy of Kain
Genre: Does this count as Kid Fic?, Gen, Kid Fic, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Trans Character, apparently this does count as kidfic so, it's the younger guardians when they were kids anyway, many of them in fact, mentions of transphobia, pre-Blood Omen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-12 01:49:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19556314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lancre_witch/pseuds/Lancre_witch
Summary: Mortanius had accepted his role as a second father to the new guardians. Part of that was helping them steer through the sometimes turbulent waters of gender and acceptance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When I first conceived of this, I had grand plans of an overarching plot focusing on Mortanius, Azimuth and Anarcrothe through the latter two’s childhood and through the founding of the Hash’ak’gik cult. But then I had a nasty bout of dysphoria induced depression, so now this little thing exists. Brief warning for deadnaming.
> 
> (Necrobopolis was the one to come up with a genderfluid States Guardian, I just ran with it)

Mortanius heard the screams and set down his book with a sigh. The young guardians had certainly made life interesting.

The source of the commotion wasn’t hard to find. Demons make excellent pronoun correctors, and most of the stronghold’s inhabitants had soon learned that little Azimuth was a young lady.

Most of them had at any rate.

Mortanius put out the fires in the acolyte’s robes with a wave of his hand and sent them fleeing with a glare. Azimuth still had fire in her eyes, but she didn’t complain when he picked her up.

“Now then, young lady,” - a small smile crossed her face and vanished as soon as he continued - “What was all that about?”

“He-mumblemumblemumble.”

“What was that, dear?”

“He kept using my old name,” she whispered again, barely louder than before.

Mortanius patted her back and tried to think what to say. He could no longer remember the name his parents had given him. Certainly, afterwards no one had ever called him by it. He hadn’t even chosen the one he had.

“I will have words. In the meantime, can you please refrain from burning the place down?”

Azimuth nodded and waved her hand vaguely, banishing the demon back to God knew where.

“Good girl.”

Mortanius set her down. He had an acolyte to see to.

The man cringed under the Death Guardian’s gaze.

“…and if word comes to me of such disrespect again, I will not bother myself with the niceties of dismissal.”

The shadows seemed to lengthen, the stones of the corridor became darker in the acolyte’s mind. The otherworld seemed a hair’s breadth away, and he knew Mortanius would not hesitate to send him over the threshold.

He swallowed. “Yes, my lord.”

“Excellent!” Mortanius smiled as if he hadn’t been threatening him with oblivion moments earlier. “I’ll give Azimuth the good news.”


	2. To One's Own Nature

Mortanius had accepted his role as a second father to the new guardians. He had also accepted that part of this involved lending a sympathetic ear at unreasonable times of the day. If Anacrothe hadn’t knocked on his door, he would have been in bed half an hour ago.

The young guardian played with the hem of their robe, not looking at him as their sentences rolled on and stuttered out and ran into each other. “…It’s easier for Azimuth. She’s always… well, she. I’m not confused or- or lying, I’m always me, just not always… not always anything, really.”

“I understand, child, more than you may believe. There was never a States Guardian who was otherwise. Every part of your magic shifts, and your soul is much the same. The moon never shows the same face from one night to another, yet nothing could be more natural. If your gender flows like tides, it would be against nature itself to deny it.”

As Anacrothe listened, a smile played around their cheeks, now a little rounder as she allowed herself her own truth. Tomorrow she may be a him or them, but regardless of the words or face they wore Anacrothe knew Mortanius would still be here.

*

When the much more cheerful child had had finally been ushered out and off to bed, Mortanius yawned and stretched the stiffness from his back. Barring any more minor hiccups, he could finally try to sleep.

Pulling off his undershirt, Mortanius paused for a moment in front of the mirror. Even after all these centuries, two horizontal scars could still just be seen across his chest. The one who made them had long since gone back to the Wheel, but barely a day went past without Mortanius thanking them.

Anacrothe was far from the only guardian to change according to their nature.


End file.
